TIDES 2026 Announces Education Track Focused on Global Learning, International Exchange and Research

TAMPA, Fla. — October 10, 2026 — The Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) today announced programming for its Education Track, bringing together K–12 educators, students, university leaders, researchers and international education professionals to examine how learning connects Tampa Bay to the world.

TIDES will take place November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center. The Education Track is one of five core tracks at the summit and is designed around academic exchange, research collaboration and global learning. It will explore the role education plays not only in preparing students for an interconnected world, but also in diplomacy, innovation, workforce development and Tampa Bay’s broader international identity. TIDES Summit

The track will span K–12 education, higher education, international exchange, student diplomacy, global research and public health, with sessions designed to connect classroom learning with the larger international relationships shaping the region.

Preparing the Next Generation of Global Citizens

Two sessions will focus specifically on how Tampa Bay schools can prepare younger students to understand and participate in an increasingly interconnected world.

Developing Global Citizens: How International Education Shapes K–12 Students will examine internationally focused academic programs such as International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International Education. Educators and students will discuss how these programs encourage critical thinking, intercultural understanding, communication, collaboration and global awareness, while students will offer firsthand perspectives on how international education has shaped the way they understand other cultures and global issues. TIDES Summit

A second K–12 session, Developing the Next Generation of Global Citizens: Model UN in K–12 Education, will focus on how Model United Nations teaches students diplomacy in practice. Through research, negotiation, coalition-building, public speaking and consensus-building, students learn to represent perspectives that may differ from their own and work through competing national interests. The session will include both educators and students and may feature a brief Model UN demonstration. TIDES Summit

Connecting Tampa’s Universities to the World

At the higher-education level, Tampa’s Universities on the Global Stage: Higher Education and International Exchange will bring together leaders from the University of South Florida, Hillsborough College and Eckerd College.

The discussion will explore how local universities engage internationally through student and faculty exchange, research partnerships, international recruitment, academic programs, visiting scholars and collaborations with universities and organizations around the world.

Panelists will also examine how Tampa Bay’s higher-education institutions can work more closely with government, business, Sister Cities and international organizations to expand global opportunities for students and strengthen Tampa’s international reach. TIDES Summit

Tampa as an International Center for Science and Public Health

One of the Education Track’s most internationally significant sessions will examine why the Global Virus Network (GVN) chose Tampa as a center for its work.

An International Hub for Science and Public Health: Why the Global Virus Network Chose Tampa will feature leaders connected to GVN and Tampa’s growing health and research ecosystem, including internationally recognized virologist Dr. Robert Gallo, co-founder of the Global Virus Network.

Gallo is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and was twice awarded the Albert Lasker Award in Medicine. He joined the University of South Florida in 2024 to establish the USF Health Virology Institute and direct the Microbial Oncology Program at the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute. TIDES Summit

The session will also include GVN leadership such as Mathew Evins, the organization’s Managing Executive/CEO, and Linman Li, Senior Vice President of Operations, Partnerships and Development. Together, the discussion will explore how global research networks, academic institutions and public-health organizations can build international partnerships from Tampa while strengthening preparedness for emerging viral threats. TIDES Summit

Education as an International Asset

The Education Track reflects a broader theme running throughout TIDES: Tampa’s global connections are built not only through commerce and diplomacy, but also through the movement of students, faculty, researchers, ideas and knowledge.

“Tampa’s universities, schools and research institutions are already part of global networks,” said Alfred Goldberg, President of Tampa Sister Cities and Chair of the TIDES Operating Committee. “The Education Track asks how we build on those connections — from helping a middle-school student understand diplomacy through Model UN to developing international university partnerships and attracting world-class scientific research to Tampa.”

The Education Track will complement TIDES programming across Trade, Innovation, Diplomacy and Sustainability, as well as main-stage conversations exploring the institutions connecting Tampa to the world. The summit’s Global Assets session, for example, will include the University of South Florida alongside Tampa International Airport, Port Tampa Bay, MacDill Air Force Base and Visit Tampa Bay in a broader discussion about the regional institutions driving Tampa’s global identity. TIDES Summit

Additional Education Track speakers and programming will continue to be announced as confirmations are finalized.

About TIDES

The Tampa International Diplomacy & Exchange Summit (TIDES) is a citywide initiative bringing together leaders from business, government, diplomacy, education, innovation and sustainability to strengthen Tampa Bay’s international connections and create opportunities for collaboration.

TIDES will be held November 16–17, 2026, at the Tampa Convention Center and will feature main-stage discussions, specialized tracks, workshops, international delegations, networking opportunities and an international expo.

The summit is presented by Tampa Sister Cities Committee, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing international understanding and people-to-people relationships. TIDES Summit

For registration, the full agenda and continuing program announcements, visit TIDESTampa.com.